The emotions behind Sen Munir's speech were driven by Isi's Tupac action decades ago.
Zia Gen's creativity
In the late 1980s, Pakistan launched a secret military intelligence operation called “Operation Tupac”, aimed at destabilizing J&K. This action conceived by Pakistani dictator Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq, and carried out by Inter-Service Intelligence (ISI), attempts to incite rebellion, promote separatism and ultimately annex the region. Its legacy continues to influence security dynamics in the Kashmir Valley.
The ISI project is codenamed “TUPAC” from the name of the 18th-century Peruvian revolutionary Túpac Amaru II, who carried out a popular uprising against Spanish colonial rule in Peru.
Operation TUPAC was formally authorized by General Zia-ul-Haq, based on early strategies tested during the Soviet-Afghanistan War. The operation was designed as a three-phase program, using J&K through a secret support for separatist groups, direct military pressure and psychological warfare.
The roots of Operation Tupak can be traced back to 1987, when India conducted Operation Brastaks, a large-scale military exercise near the Rajasthan border. Pakistan believes this is a potential pioneer of Indian offensive. In response, General Zia-ul-Haq authorized a strategy designed to divert Indian military focus and create internal turmoil within J&K.
Behind Operation Tupac is also the shadow of early failed projects, the Gibraltar Operation in 1965 was designed to incite the uprising of J&K. It involves infiltration of trained training and armed groups into the area to attack Indian troops and exchange routes, and expect local residents to support the uprising. However, the operation failed because infiltrations were found and local groups did not support them. This failure led to the 1965 Indian-Pakistan War.Inspiration from the jihad in Afghanistan
Lessons learned from the Soviet-Afghan war, and with Pakistan's support, Afghan jihadists successfully boycotted Soviet forces, an ISI attempted to replicate this pattern in Kashmir with Operation Tupak. The aim is to bring resentment in the region into rebellion, which will bleed both military and economically.
The main objectives of the TUPAC operation include: Phase 1 – launching a low-level insurgency by infiltrating militants into J&K, targeting communication networks and subverting local institutions. Phase 2 – exerting direct pressure along the Line of Control (LOC) through destruction and infiltration, aimed at undermining Indian military operations; Phase 3 – mobilizing religious sentiment to escalate rebellion into a full-scale jihad, with the ultimate goal of integrating J&K into Pakistan.
The operation also sought to support rebellious activities in other parts of India, in line with Pakistan’s broader strategy of “cutting Indian bleeding through a thousand times”.
The initial phase of Operation Tupac involved recruiting young people from the valley who were disillusioned by the political situation. These recruits were encouraged to cross the LOC into Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, where they were trained in guerrilla warfare, sabotage and use of guns. Organizations such as Jamu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) played a key role in this phase, setting up training camps and promoting indoctrination of recruits.
After returning to the valley, these trained terrorists engaged in various subversive activities, including explosions, assassinations and attacks on security forces. The purpose is to create an atmosphere of fear and uncertainty that will erode the authority of the government. In addition, efforts have been made to infiltrate key positions within local police forces and financial institutions to further destabilize the region.
How to launch Operation Tupac
With the momentum of rebellion, Pakistan upgraded its support by providing advanced weapons, training and logistical support to various militant organizations operating in the region. ISI facilitates the establishment of other boot camps and coordinated cross-border penetration. Religious rhetoric is increasingly being used to inspire support and attract foreign fighters, transforming the rebellion into a wider jihadist movement.
Rebellion leads to life and displacement. In the early 1990s, hundreds of thousands of Kashmiri Pandits in Kashmiri Pandits had to leave their houses to head for the refugee camp in Chamu due to targeted violence and threats.
The prolonged insurgency seriously distorted J&K's political structure. The democratic process was interrupted and the governance structure was damaged. The region has witnessed the rise of radicalization, and youth increasingly attract armed ideologies. The social structure of the valley was torn apart as communities polarized religiously and politically.
The ongoing conflict has damaged the local economy. Tourism, which once was a major contributor to the region's economy, plummeted. Agriculture and trade have been severely affected by frequent strikes, curfews and infrastructure damage. The economic downturn further exacerbates the difficulties faced by the local population.
After General Zia-ul-Haq's death in 1988, Pakistan's military leadership, under General Pervez Musharraf, tried to refine and expand the goals of Operation Tupac. This led to the conceptualization of BADR action in the late 1990s. Operation TUPAC focused on rebellion and subversion, but Operation Badr was designed to directly fight against military confrontation, including territorial invasions throughout the LOC, as seen during the 1999 Kargill War.
How PM Modi subverts ISI's plan
The ISI's decades-long secret plan suffered horror in Kashmir and eventually deprived it of India from India, was stripped of Prime Minister Narendra Modi when the government granted Article 370 of the Indian Constitution through a historic move to repeal Article 370 of the Indian Constitution, which granted J&K. The decision aims to integrate the region more fully into India and to address the long-term problems of terrorism and unrest. India National Security Advisor Ajit Doval had mentioend Operation Tiupac at that time: “Pakistan used Article 370 to catalyze terrorism in Kashmir. They launched Operation Tupac in 1988 through which they wanted to exploit political space. Modus operatori of Operation Tupac was to use same tactics which Pakistani non-state actors used in Afghanistan,” he said.
The abolition of Article 370 marks a major shift in J&K governance. Terrorist incidents have dropped drastically, and terrorists have been wiped out from the city center. Peace returns to the valley, and large-scale and tourism are once again beginning to flourish. Many separatists have been suppressed or lost their favor. Many people have joined mainstream politics. But as Pakistan-sponsored terrorists continue to operate in the valley, J&K has not escaped the shadow of Operation Tupac. The Pahargam attack is a Pakistani agenda that does not want to give up its alienation from India Kashmir.
